Arkansas Razorbacks football Coach Bret Bielema added two in-state prospects to the commitment list Wednesday when defensive lineman Isaiah Nichols and offensive lineman Noah Gatlin pledged to the Hogs.
Nichols said he realized a childhood dream and committed to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville after taking part in the Trench Hog lineman camp Sunday and receiving a scholarship offer.
Nichols, 6-3, 265 pounds, of Springdale, picked the Hogs over 12 scholarship offers, including ones from Missouri, North Carolina State, Indiana, Kansas, Memphis and Tulsa. He privately committed to Bielema on Monday before going public Wednesday evening.
"When I got the offer, I just knew it was right," Nichols said."I talked to my parents and it just made sense because they [Arkansas] had a lot of other guys offered and only three spots. It didn't really force me, but I kind of needed to make my decision in a hurry."
The chance to commit to the Razorbacks has been a surreal experience, he said.
"The other night when I committed, I woke up that night," Nichols said. "I didn't know if it was a dream or not. I had to check my messages to see if it was real and I went back to sleep."
Nichols recorded 54 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a blocked field goal as a junior. He has the versatility to play all three positions in Arkansas' 3-4 defensive front.
"They said my primary position would be playing end," Nichols said.
Nichols didn't play football until high school and only played in four games as a sophomore season because of injury. With only 15 games under his belt, Springdale Coach Zak Clark said his improvement has been fun to watch.
"Every time he practices, every time we go to a team camp and every time we hit the field he gets better, probably because his physical gifts are so astounding. But he's getting outstanding with his hands," said Clark, a quarterback at Arkansas in 2000-2001. "He's always had great feet and he continues to get more explosive and bigger and more powerful in the weight room."
"Where's his ceiling? I have no idea. If he continues to improve like he has the last three years on into college, I have no idea what the guy's ceiling is."
Gatlin also earned a scholarship offer Sunday at the camp after working in front of Bielema and Razorbacks offensive line coach Kurt Anderson.
Gatlin, 6-7, 300, of Jonesboro, picked the Hogs over 17 scholarship offers from schools like Arizona State, Texas Tech, Virginia, Mississippi State, Iowa State and Indiana. He also told the Hogs of his commitment Monday before announcing it Wednesday.
"For me, I've grown up really liking Arkansas and my family as well," Gatlin said. "After going to camp and getting to see the coaches and getting to work with Coach Anderson, I thought it was the best fit for me."
He also performed well at the University of Memphis Mega camp June 11 with Anderson in attendance. Arkansas' coaching staff was a big part of his decision, he said.
"I can't want to get down there and go work with them and get to be a Razorback," Gatlin said.
Gatlin is known to play aggressively and go until the whistle blows.
"The one thing we've always liked about him is he plays to the echo of the whistle," Jonesboro Coach Randy Coleman said. "Don't get me wrong, there's times when we say, 'Hey, Noah. Let's cool a little bit'. When you're talking to the other coaches on the side, you're like, 'I love it. I love that he's doing that.' It's one of those things that you like that he plays with an edge because that's what you have to do to play on the next level."
Gatlin is the grandson of former Arkansas State men's basketball coach and Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame inductee Nelson Catalina.
Coleman said Gatlin has earned everything he has.
"He's big and athletic and all of that, but he's earned every bit of it," Coleman said. "He had a goal and he worked his tail off, and now he's going to get to live that dream."
Nichols and Gatlin are the eighth and ninth commitments for Arkansas' 2018 class. Oral commitments are non-binding.
Sports on 06/22/2017